Thursday's hearing at the NYC Health Dept.  went well insofar as major
animal institutions were there opposing the proposed rule change: ASPCA,
Humane Society of N.Y., the Animal Medical Center all supported legal
ferret ownership, and the N.Y. Zoological Society and N.Y. Herpatalogical
Society complained they were't consulted in time and found the reptiles
and lizards on the prohibited list to be ill-conceived.  WNBC television
and WCBS radio were there, too, as well as some newspaper reporters.
 
Needless to say, the actual members of the Board of Health were not in
attendance and will receive a transcript of the proceeding.  There were
about a dozen other speakers in opposition to a ferret prohibition.  Most
notable, City Councilmember Kathryn Freed sent a representative to not only
oppose the proposed rule change, but later sent a fax to the Board pledging
to introduce legislation in the NY City Council to legalize ferrets.
 
So no matter what the four Board of Health members (all appointed by
animal-hating Mayor Rudy Crueliani) decide, the end result will be ferrets
will eventually be officially legal.
 
The next Board of Health meeting is on June 29th at 10:00 am on the 3rd
floor of 125 Worth Street in Manhattan.  It is open to the public.
[Posted in FML issue 2702]